Ever Versatile Music Maestro – A. R. Rahman

Born as A. S. Dileep Kumar on 6th January 1967, he is one of the biggest names in the music world. His music is his identity and his contributions in the international film market have made the country proud.
Words will fall short to describe the maestro and he is a known name in every household of the country. Allah Rakha Rahman or popularly known as A. R. Rahman is a living legend and continues to contribute as a composer, song writer, singer, music producer and musician in the field of music. Born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu A. R. Rahman is nicknamed as the ‘Mozart of Madras’.
The spark of a genius musician was visible in the maestro from the early stages of his life. Hailing from a musical family, A. R. Rahman realised his inclination towards music from the early stages of childhood and began his initial days of training under Master Dhanraj. He mastered the keyboard, piano, synthesizer, guitar and harmonium, little knowing then that he would soon see himself working with legendary composers like Ilaiyaraaja, Zakir Hussain, etc.
The composer began his musical journey in Indian cinema with Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film Roja. This movie proved to be the breakthrough for the composer who won the National award for the best music director category. The star was already born. Then there was no looking back for A. R. Rahman. The music in Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film Bombay (1995) became popular worldwide and the theme song appeared later in many works in the field of cinema.
The year 1995 marks A. R. Rahman’s debut in Bollywood with Ram Gopal Verma’s Rangeela. The composer has never ending list of works, but to mention few movies like Dil Se, Taal, Pukar, Lagaan, Saathiya, Yuva, Swades, Rang De Basanti, Guru, Jodha Akbar, Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na, Delhi 6, Rockstar, Raanjhana, Highway, Tamasha gained the composer an irreplaceable place in the music industry.
This name is very popular with international projects as well. He co-scored the British film Elizabeth: The Golden Age, directed by Shekar Kapur, in the year 2007. In the year 2008, his music in Slumdog Millionaire won him a Golden Globe and two Academy Awards. 127 Hours, Million Dollar Arm, The Hundred Foot Journey are some of his other international projects.
A talent which doesn’t know any limitations, A. R. Rahman has redefined music in Indian cinema. His beats in the music are his uniqueness. His experimentation with every piece of music is his forte and he is appreciated for the same. He is known for the fusion he creates by amalgamating Eastern classical and electronic music with strong orchestra arrangements. He is also noted for mixing various genres together in his music.
His in-house studio Panchathan Record Inn is one of the Asia’s most advanced studios. For a talent like him awards are just a humble way to appreciate his words. He is recipient of numerous awards notably Grammy, Academy, Gloden Globe, BAFTA, National and Filmfare awards.
A.R. Rahman is married to Saira Banu and has three children. In 1989, he converted to Islam. He is a philanthropist and works towards the betterment of the society. He is a performer and has gained love and fame of people around the world by doing innumerable concerts inside and outside the country.
It is a big achievement for any young musical talent to work with a person like A. R. Rahman. The calm and composed nature of the artist in front of the media has helped him to become an ideal figure in the country. In the year 2009, Time considered his name for the world’s most influential people. The country is blessed to have a versatile musician like him who at every stage strives to improvise his works. On behalf of all his fans across the world, Songpedia wishes the great A. R. Rahman a great birthday and lots of success and more fame in the coming years.